text: UP to 5,000 England fans were last night rushing to Russia for a "once-in-a-lifetime" chance to see the Three Lions play in the action end of a World Cup. Travel agents reported a run on flights and hotels as supporters scrambled to Samara for Saturday's quarter-final showdown with Sweden.
  British Airways is laying on bigger planes to cater for fans desperate to see the Three Lions in action following their nerve-shredding last 16 penalty shootout victory over Colombia. Many believe it may be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to see the team reach a World Cup semi-final. The last time it happened was 28 years ago. A spokesman for travel advice agency ABTA said: “England’s wins are contributing to a rise in bookings with our members.”
  GETTY IT'S COMING HOME: A once-in-a-generation opportunity to see the team reach the semis
  GETTY HISTORIC: England made history against Colombia in penalty shoot out
  England News: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson and co pictured recovering after Colombia win ENGLAND stars were pictured unwinding today after their heroic penalty shoot-out victory against Colombia last night. 1 / 8 FA/REX/Shutterstock Jordan Henderson (left) and Eric Dier
  FA supporters’ club members are snapping up the Football Association's allocation of 3,000 tickets for Saturday’s game. Fifa.com is expected to put last-minute £134 seats on sale. Black market tickets are being flogged by touts outside stadiums though organisers say anyone caught with one will be turned away. Fans planning to make the trip face a hat-trick of price hikes which could force them to stay home. Airlines and hotels have raised prices for the trip.
  “fans who purchase tickets from other sources put themselves at significant risk of missing out on the World Cup” Fifa spokesman While online ticket touts are selling seats for up to eight times their face value. Normally visitors flying to the Russian city can expect to pay as little as £405 return. But fans logging on to book a seat to get them to Samara for the match face forking out more than £2,000. Hotel bosses have also ramped up prices despite Russian trading standards bosses beginning legal action against some owners. Last night a bed in the Russian Hunting Complex hotel was £276-a-night for the weekend of the clash with Sweden. It usually costs just £54.
  The Cherry Hostel – which usually charges a tenner a night for two people sleeping in a dormitory – now wants £126. Secondary selling site Ticketcombo was yesterday flogging seats for the match for up to £406. Viagogo – which is facing a Fifa lawsuit for reselling tickets without permission – had seats for £405. Facebook and Twitter touts were trading seats for nearly 1,000 – eight times the face value of the cheapest £126 tickets.
  Samara Arena: England vs Sweden World Cup 2018 quarter-final venue in pictures SAMARA ARENA: Check out the World Cup 2018 venue that will host England vs Sweden on Saturday. 1 / 14 GETTY
  GETTY WORTH IT: Tickets to see the Three-Lions are going for eight times their face value